Guard for match-boxes.



' W. A. FETSCH. GUARD FOR MATCH BOXES APP'LlCATlON FILED MAR. H, 1917- l ,zfibwwn Patented May7,1918.

6 A WILUaM H'FE'I'SCH wrnLiaM a. reason, or sr. PAUL, arnnnso'ra.

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incense.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. Fn'rsorr,

. a citizen of the United States, residing at St.

Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and, useful Improvements in Guards for Matcln Boxes, of wlnchj the following is a SPQClfiCtl tion, reference being had .tothe accompanying drawings,

This invention relates to an improved guard for match boxes and has for its pri mary objectto provide a simple, easily applied, and absolutely eifective protecting de-v vlce for the matches which wlllprevent ignitlon of the matches contained in the box 7 when oneof the matches ;is scratched on the emery paper or other friction material on the side of the box cover.

It is another important object of the invention to provide a device of this character which will effectively prevent the contact of the flame or a spark from anignited match when inserted into one end of the) partly withdrawn cover, as is commonly done 111 Wind weather to revent the ex- V tinction of theflame, thereby obviating the possibility of seriously burning the smoker.

Itisa further general object of my invention to provide a guard or protecting device for the above purpose which is con-. structed from a single" piece of resilient metal, bent or stamp-ed into such form to enable the same to be readily insertedu on the matches within the box and retain its applied position and permit of easy accessibility to the matches, whereby they may be singly withdrawn from the box. 7

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the box partly open and my improved guard or protecting device arranged upon the matches;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the box; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the guard device removed from the box.

Referring in detail to the drawing, B designates the body of a box or container such as is ordinarily used for containing safety matches, and C the cover therefor i v ispecification'of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 17, 1917.

site side faces with emery paper or other 'gitudinally over and upon the matches for Serial No. 155,578.

which is open atits' opposite ends and within which the body of the box snugly fits. This cover, as is usual, is provided upon lts opposuitable'frictional materia The invention constituting the subjectmatter of the present application is formed from; a single piece of resilient sheet metal and includes the body plate 5 which is of a width substantially equivalent to the interior width of the box body B and is of a length approximately one-half the length of the interior of the box body. Upon one end edge of thebody plate 5, the angularly disposed flange 6 is formed by bending the plate, and longitudinally disposed flanges 7 are, also formed in a similar manner upon the side edges of said body plate. These latter flanges are of substantiallythe same length as the interior length of the box body, thereby providing the free end portions 8 projecting beyond one end of the body plate and adapted for clamping engagement against the side walls of the box body. It will be understood that the opposite corners of the sheet metal plate from which the guard is formed, are cut or slit to permit of the bending of the flanges 6 and 7 at right angles to each other.

In use, the guard device is arranged within the match box or container as shown in Fig. l, the flange 6 extending down into the box between one end wall and the heads of" the matches. The body plate 5 projectslonapproximately one-half the length thereof. The side flanges 6 extend between the side walls of the box body and the matches, and in inserting the device, the free resilient end portions 7 of these flanges are slightly pressed inwardly so that when released, they will exert an outward clamping pressure against theside walls of the box, whereby the device will be properly held against casual shifting movement with respect to the 100 box walls. It will thus be seen that the box body may be forced beyond one open end of i i the cover C to expose the unprotected ends of the matches so that a match can be readily withdrawn. The match head is scratched upon the friction sheet and the flaming match can be inserted into the opposite end of the cover so that the cover walls will protect the flame and prevent its being blown out.

Patented May Ri id.

then

Although the flame is closely 11c v adjacent to the end of the box body wherein the match heads are disposed, as the match heads are entirely covered by the sheet metal -wall, they will not be ignited by the flame or a spark which might find its way'between the top wall of the box cover and the matches. Of course, if the box body is shifted'in the cover in the opposite direction and the flaming match disposed within the other end of the cover, there is still less liability of the ignition of the matches. 7 It will thus be seen that I have provided-a very simple and atthe same time highly effective device which will prevent the accidental ignition of matches contained in; the box, therebyobe viating possibility of serious burning and injury to'the user. After all of the matches have been used, the guard device is, of course, removed and applied in the manner above stated to anyv box. Y i

I From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of use and several advantages of the invention will be clearly and 'fully understood. The article beingformed from a single sheet of metal which may be readily stamped out and properly bent, it will be manifest that the device can be manufactured at very low cost and may, therefore, be given away with the matches the manufacturer as an advertising novelty, or the guard devices may be separately manufactured and sold. While I have shown and referred to the guard as designed primarily for use in connection with boxes of that type in which small safety matches are usually vended, it isapparent, of course,

that the guard can be constructed in various plicable to containers of various other forms or constructions. Y

Havlng thus fully descrlbed my invention,

' Qepies ofthis patent may be obtainedffor five cents each, by addressing thc "Commissioner of Patents,

what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Aguard device for match boxes consisting of a rectangular metal plate adapted to be arranged over the matches contained in the box and having flanges on its longitudinal-edges, a portion of each flange being free for resilient clamping engagement against one of the side walls of the box and said plate also having a flange on one of its ends to extend between the match heads and the opposed end wall of the box.

2. A guard device for match boxes c011 sisting of a metal plate adapted to be arranged over the headed end of the matches, said plate being of a length approximately one-half the length of the box and having afiange on one end to extend between the match heads and the end wall of the box, said plate also being provided with additional flanges disposed between the matches and the side walls of the box and having free, resilient'portions to clampingly engage against the inner faces of said side walls and retain the plate in its applied position against casual movement with respect to the flange adapted to extend between the end wall of the box and the match heads, said plate being also bent to provide side flanges,

said flanges projecting beyond the opposite end of the body plate and adapted for clamping engagement against the inner faces of the side walls of the box.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. FETSCH.

I Witnesses WALTER JoHNsoN, H. P. DAYTON.

Washingtbml). C. 

